(CNN) – A volunteer youth football coach is charged with child abuse after allegedly knocking out a 7th grader on his son’s opposing team.
The score was tied in the last regular game of the season. Payson City League’s star half back has the ball and is running down Mapleton’s sideline when he gets clothes lined.
If you watch the video below during the slow motion instant replay it appears that a man steps onto the field, holds out his arm and takes down a 13 year old player. The referee says the player was running out of bounds at the time. In or out of bounds those who saw it say it was intentional.
The hit was so hard the player suffered a concussion. Nate Harris, the man you see step out of the sidelines in the video, was ejected from the game. Later, he was arrested and charged with second degree felony child abuse.
An attorney for Harris told local media his client never crossed the line onto the playing field. Police say Harris did not give them a statement at the request of his attorney, so haven’t heard his side of the story. Harris has been released from jail on bond.
